How did mistletoe become associated with Christmas?
An aerial parasite that has no roots of its own and lives off the tree that it attaches itself Mistletoe would die without a tree to attach itself to. The plant was thought to be sacred by ancient Europeans, and druid priests employed it in their sacrifices to the gods, while Celtic people felt it possessed miraculous healing powers. Indeed, in their language mistletoe means “all-heal.” They felt it not only cured diseases, but could also render poisons harmless, make humans and animals prolific, keep one safe from witchcraft, protect the house from ghosts and even make them speak. With all of this, it was thought to bring good luck to anyone privileged to have it. Norsemen offer us a beautiful symbolic myth about mistletoe. The story goes that Mistletoe was the sacred plant of Frigga, goddess of love and the mother of Balder, the god of the summer sun. Balder had a dream of death, which greatly alarmed his mother, for should he die, all life on earth would end. In an attempt to keep t
